Report: Four million Cape Cod National Seashore tourists brought in $750 million in 2022

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

WELLFLEET — The Cape Cod National Seashore easily topped Massachusetts' list of 18 national parks in 2022 visitor spending and economic output, according to a recently-released annual report from the National Park Service.

In 2022, the state as a whole saw 8.2 million visitors who spent about $828 million in gateway regions. Those regions are considered areas within 60 miles of the park. The Seashore brought in an estimated 4 million visitors who spent $548 million in local gateway regions, or 66% of the state's total.

The annual number of visitors to the Seashore has averaged 4 million since 2018. The peak year since the Seashore's creation was in 1990 with 5,449,380 visitors, according to National Park Service records.

Visitors are spending money on groceries, gas, hotels and more

The economic output associated with the Seashore was 58% compared to the state as a whole. That figure for the state was $1.3 billion. For the Seashore it was $750 million. The Park Service’s interactive map breaks down a variety of sectors impacted by visitor spending. They include grocery, camping, gas, hotels, restaurants, retail, transportation and recreational industries.

Marconi Beach in South Wellfleet filled up by late morning in August 2021, as the National Park Service celebrated its 105th birthday. Entry to all national parks, including Cape Cod National Seashore beaches, was free for the day.
Marconi Beach in South Wellfleet filled up by late morning in August 2021, as the National Park Service celebrated its 105th birthday. Entry to all national parks, including Cape Cod National Seashore beaches, was free for the day.

Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent Brian Carlstrom called tourism a critical driver of the Cape's economy, bringing in 6,680 jobs and $750 million dollars in revenue.

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists at the National Park Service. The report showed that the cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy in 2022 was $50.3 billion. The lodging and restaurant sectors had the highest direct effects with $9 billion and $4.6 billion in economic output nationally. For more information on the report, go to https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm

Denise Coffey writes about business and tourism. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com.  

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod National Seashore: Massachusetts' top national park in 2022